Frank Palumbo balances his passion for fighting with being a father

Local amateur mixed martial arts star Frank Palumbo demonstrates his ability to balance his hobby with being a full time father. On top of working at CVPH, coaching wrestling at Saranac High School, and training full time, Palumbo still manages to succeed at his most important job of being a dad. He started fighting with Plattsburgh Combat Sports in 2010 and spends most of his spare time training for fights.

New York is one of two states yet to sanction professional MMA fighting. Since it is amateur fighting, there is no money to be earned. Frank helps train over 20 local fighters that compete in the ring, all free of charge.

On Saturday night at the Crete Center, Palumbo will headline a night filled with local MMA stars across New England. Four other members of Plattsburgh Combat Sports will also compete in the event.

ARTS IS GROWING IN POPULARITY. AND EVEN THOUGH NEW YORK IS ONE OF TWO STATES YET TO SANCTION THE SPORT, AMATEUR FIGHTING IS STILL LEGAL AND YOU CAN FIND IT IN OUR BACKYARD. NEWSCHANNEL FIVE'S STEPHEN WATSON BRINGS YOU INSIDE THE LIFE OF ONE THE SPORTS LOCAL FIGHTERS... MEET FRANK POLUMBO... EXPERIENCED MIXED MARTIAL ARTS FIGHTER, BUT IF YOU CATCH HIM AT HOME WITH HIS KIDS, YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW IT... FIGHTER: "I KNOW A LOT OF GUYS THAT ARE STAND UP GUYS LIKE FRANK THAT HAVE FAMILIES AND JOBS AND ARE UPSTANDING MEMBERS OF SOCIETY..." OUTSIDE OF THE RING, THE FORMER NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPION AND CURRENT SARANAC HIGH WRESTLING COACH IS AS RESERVED AS THEY COME ... STUDENT: "HE'S LIKE, ONE COULD SAY, THE YODA. FEW WORDS, BUT THOSE WORDS MEAN A LOT ..." BUT WHEN THIS FIGHTER GETS IN THE RING, WATCH OUT... ... WIFE: "YOU CAN SEE THE GOAL ORIENTATION IN HIM, AND AGGRESSIVE, NOT IN A MEAN WAY BUT TO GO FOR WHAT HE'S LOOKING FOR, FOR THE TAKEDOWN, FOR THE PUNCH, WHATEVER IT TAKES..." FRANK: "WHEN YOU'RE COMPETING AGAINST SOMEONE ELSE THAT'S BEEN TRAINING, YOU CAN REALLY DO SOMETHING SPECIAL AND YOU CAN REALLY PUT ON A GOOD SHOW AND KIND OF SHOW A SIDE OF YOURSELF THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE TO DO IT,..." "IN ADDITION TO PREPARING FOR HIS OWN FIGHTS, FRANK HELPS TRAIN OVER 20 MEMBERS OF PLATTSBURGH COMBAT SPORTS. HE DOESN'T DO IT FOR THE MONEY OR THE FAME, BUT INSTEAD TO SHARE HIS PASSION WITH FIGHTERS OF ALL AGES..." FRANK: "I AM ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO FEEL THAT IF I CAN DO IT, YOU CAN DO IT, AND I THINK THERES A LOT OF TRUTH TO THAT. WE'RE A GOOD GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT LIKE HELPING OTHER AND LIKE TEACHING AS WELL AS LEARNING.." AND ON TOP OF WORKING, TEACHING, LEARNING, AND TRAINING, EVERY NIGHT THIS FIGHTER RETURNS TO HIS FAVORITE JOB... IN PLATTSBURGH, STEPHEN WATSON, NEWSCHANNEL FIVE SATURDAY NIGHT, PA-LUMBO WILL HEADLINE THE X- TREME COMBAT M-M-A FIGHT IN PLATTSBURGH, WITH FOUR OTHER MEMBERS FROM THE LOCAL CLUB JOINING HIM IN COMPETITION AT THE CITIES